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Manchester United's disappointing run of form continued at Elland Road, but manager Ruben Amorim had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team avoiding even more disappointment against Leeds.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin directed a first-half effort against the woodwork for the in-form home team before Brenden Aaronson applied a cool finish with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.

At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at home earlier in the week.

However, against opponents who had less time to prepare, the forward levelled three minutes later when he ran on to a through ball from substitute the Dutchman and guided a finish underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

It was only the South American's fourth goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a mix of injury and national team commitments.

Not that you would expect Leeds to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.

Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and United heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is struggling to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from six yards out.

The goalscorer, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post in the dying moments.

The point extends the home side's unbeaten run to seven games, their best such streak since over two decades ago, and takes them eight points clear of the relegation zone.

For the Manchester United though, it was yet another chance to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a short time, squandered.

Man Utd Analysis: The Manager's Side Struggle Again

With the AFCON reaching its knockout phase, Amorim could be forgiven for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.

Existing injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and Three Lions star Mason Mount only heightened the impact the absence of other forwards is having on Amorim's squad.

It's not that the missing pair are the answer to all of the club's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced poor results earlier in the season.

But without them, Amorim has few attacking options.

He clearly does not trust youngster Shea Lacey or the seasoned Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Netherlands forward provided the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a replacement.

That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored a small tally in five games, and others operating out of their preferred positions, alongside Sesko.

On this showing, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.

His failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the young striker.

Leeds United Breakdown: Another Step Towards Safety

After memorable victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a comparatively subdued affair.

True, there were instances of expected atmosphere, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in previous fixtures.

Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get sustained possession in dangerous areas for any length of time.

The striker's header that clipped the post was an isolated moment of quality in a congested first half.

It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for Aaronson.

Ever so briefly, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against Manchester United.

However, there is a much bigger picture for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.

When they suffered a difficult run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's position.

Instead, he is now masterminding significant improvement.

The job is not completed yet but step by step, Leeds are getting nearer to securing their survival.

Looking Ahead

The Yorkshire club have a Premier League trip to St James' Park in midweek, followed by the start of their FA Cup campaign next weekend. The Red Devils face a league trip to Burnley before also beginning their cup journey with a home tie.